


Burn Brighter

by Drunken_Willow



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Death?, Female Kurosaki Ichigo, Healer Ichigo, I Don't Even Know, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I mean they're pretty much all dead, Inaccurate Medical Knowledge, Kurosaki Ichigo-centric, My First Fanfic, Protective Kurosaki Ichigo, Some Swearing, Some character bashing, sad yuzu, tired Ichigo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:41:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27737044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drunken_Willow/pseuds/Drunken_Willow
Summary: Kurosaki Ichigo was born as a bonfire. She burned the world around her, but as she grew older she learned to temper her flame. Now though, she was flickering. The constant spirits she once saw, were now invisible and her relationships fragel. The important question was what now?
Relationships: Kurosaki Ichigo & Everyone, Kurosaki Ichigo & Kurosaki Yuzu, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 2
Kudos: 26





	1. An Ember

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is my first time writing fanfiction. I didn't plan this out and I don't know how long this will be. I probably won't even finish it, so you've been warned. I also haven't watched or read cannon in a while, so characters probably aren't in character. Overall feedback is appreciated. Have Fun.

Kurosaki Ichigo was trying. That's all there was to say. She wasn't doing great, and she was missing parts of her soul. She was barely holding on, but she was trying. Couldn't they see that? 

She was different, but wasn't that to be expected? Either way, days seemed to fade from one to another. Wake up from a restless sleep, workout, shower, eat breakfast, go to school, sit in class, work at her part time job, go home, eat dinner, sleep, repeat.

Isolation was to be expected. Goat face never changed, besides now going out and acting as a soul reaper, but she wasn't supposed to know that. Karin was the same, either out with friends or training as a soul reaper, something else she wasn't supposed to know about. Yuzu did her best, but she also had a social life. Ichigo couldn't put the weight of her loneliness on only one person, especially if that was her sister. Her sister who was also trying so hard not to notice the distance growing between her and other family members. 

That was her family though, her 'friends' were a bit different. She had drifted from Tatsuki, Keigo and even Mizuiro. At first it had to do with her inconsistent schedule from soul reaper duties. Now it had to do with her being different than before and them being able to see spirits. There was a weight on her that there wasn’t before. She fought in a war, and lost a part of herself, it wasn’t that unexpected. They were getting closer to Ishida, Orihime, and Chad, though. The distance just seemed to grow wider and wider, until they were basically strangers. Ichigo and her acquaintances tried to interact though, it just ended with stilted conversations, rushed goodbyes, and people treating her like a bomb. So, now they just avoid her, and she avoids them. It’s easier to pretend it’s a choice if she’s also doing the avoiding.

Ichigo was lonely, but she never regrets using Saigo no Getsuga Tenshou. She hates the distance from who once were her friends, but regret never crosses her thoughts. She wants to wish it was different, but what could have been scares her. So, she passes her days alone.

***

Ichigo sat at the river, after everything it was easier to just be alone for awhile. She had off today, but even if she went home no one would be there. Everyone seemed to have plans today. So she just used it as a break, even if it left her chasing away thoughts of voices in her head. At least if she was purposeful in her actions of loneliness didn't hurt as badly. She barely slept last night, not that it was different from any other day, but it left her tired. There was something off today though, it had her on edge. Just as well she didn’t have tutoring to do today.

On her way home she kept glacing around, her instincts had her on guard. Something was coming. Everything seemed normal though, people moved on with their days around. Before long she got home, she heard sobbing from the kitchen. She had to stop herself from running inside.

Yuzu sat at the table holding a note in her hands. Ichigo's heart might as well have fallen through the floor. She sat down in a chair next to Yuzu, grabbing her hands gently, Ichigo took the note.

Dear Ichigo and Yuzu,  
We've had to leave for a while now, but it has only become more apparent as time has gone on. See you on the other side.  
Karin & Dad

Ichigo was more than angry, how could they do this to Yuzu. Not even a proper goodbye. This wasn't urgent, they just packed up and left. How dare they, even if she wasn’t the easiest to be around, that didn’t excuse them packing up and leaving.

Now wasn't the time however, rage wouldn't calm Yuzu, and it wouldn't help her. At least not now. She breathed, and set down the note.

" It'll be alright, they didn't leave because of you. Now, I'm going to cook dinner, and then we can crash together tonight, just like old times." Ichigo heard Yuzu's breathing settle a bit as she rubbed her back. She wouldn’t be able to even try to sleep tonight, if she ended up having a nightmare it would only make things worse.

Ichigo got up and made a light soup. Easy to get down and warm. If nothing else Ichigo should at least be able to keep it down. She might not be able to go knock some sense into Goat face and Karin at the moment, but she would help her little sister. Even if it meant making her life more difficult. If the situation made Ichigo's flame burn a little hotter, that didn't mean anything.


	2. Unpleasant and Ashy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life continues and years pass. Time may heal all wounds, but life is great at ripping them open and creating more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, I'll probably edit parts of this story as I work on it, just because I'm trying to not end up with continuity errors. If I do edit it, I'll try to do it as I'm uploading another chapter. Secondly, I might have messed up and marked this as complete. Good news is that I'm getting the hang of what I'm doing and using a computer instead of my phone. I might also be figuring out what the plot lines gonna be. That, along with the attempt at a time line I have, I might have a story. Don't know if I'll get far, wish me luck though.

It had been twelve years since she had used Saigo no Getsuga Tenshou. Ten years since Karin and Dad had left. Things had gotten better since the first few days after their departure. It wasn’t the same, but It could have been worse.

Ichigo had finished her medical schooling four years ago and Yuzu had finished hers recently. It had been difficult, but Ichigo had just managed to keep the house, and the clinic as well. Given the clinic hadn’t been in use until she had finished her prior mentioned schooling, but it had been up and running for the past four years. Now, if Yuzu wanted to she could also work there. It was gonna be alright, they were gonna be better.

Despite her guize of confidence Ichigo was worried. Yuzu had made too much food for the two of them the first few months, she looked heartbroken when she realized after she had set the table for four. She still looked stricken when she found traces of Karin, not to mention how she looked when people asked where Goat Face and Karin were. They had gone with the excuse that they had gone missing, even filing missing persons cases. Now they just got pitying looks every now and then. Ichigo had thrown herself into work, someone needed to pay the bills, and there wasn’t anyone else. Not like there was anything else to do she had trouble connecting to people on a deeper level than just pleasantries. She had heard something a few years back about some of her classmates up and disappearing. She didn’t look into it, she could guess and it wasn’t like they had stayed in touch. It left a lump in her throat anyway.

Yuzu had made some close connections and Ichigo was proud. Yuzu even seemed to be interested in one of the boys she knew. Ichigo hadn’t met him yet, but it resulted in endless teasing. She hadn’t heard anything bad, and she was keeping her ears open, but Yuzu seemed happier and that was good enough. She’d pay closer attention if anything came of it though. Ichigo could admit she was lonely, but it was fine it didn’t matter to her. Therefore it shouldn’t matter to anyone else. 

Yuzu worried, her sister seemed to have constant bags under her eyes, she didn’t seem to be losing weight, but Yuzu suspected that had more to do with her making sure Ichigo ate. Even if that just meant keeping dried fruit around the house. she was doing better than after Yuzu had started seeing her walking alone, but still. Not like she could do too much without straight out forcing Ichigo to get help, and Ichigo never did anything she didn’t want to do. So, Yuzu didn’t say anything and just silently made sure that Ichigo was taken care of and knew she was there for her.

***

Ichigo was a bit lighter today, comparatively that is, she still had a weight on her chest but it was easier to breath. Yuzu was going to be starting at the clinic on Monday, and they were gonna have a little celebration dinner tonight. Even though Yuzu usually cooked, Ichigo had volunteered to cook tonight so she had a break. Ichigo had just picked up all the ingredients. It was gonna be great she had even gotten a small cake.

Once Ichigo was home she put everything away that wasn’t needed immediately. She got to preparing the ingredients before Yuzu got home. She stopped as she heard her little sister come into the kitchen.

“I’m home Onee-chan, what are you making? You never told me.”

“You’ll find out what I’m making after you go take a shower. I know you were out running around, not to mention I’m going to take shower after dinner.”

“At this point I’m never gonna find out what we’re eating. Or at least not until you tell me you burnt it and we’re gonna have to get take out.”

Yuzu was teasing her, and Ichigo had to keep from laughing. So, instead she gave a dramatic gasp before saying, “Hey! Respect your elders! I refuse to be treated like this in my own home. Where did the kind person known as Yuzu go?”

“Don’t you know? I hung out with you too much. Ok, I’ll go up to clean up, call me down when dinner’s done.”

Yuzu ran up stairs, Ichigo smiled before continuing on her work. She had finished it up until all she needed to do was let it simmer so that it’d thicken up. The rice cooker was just about done too, so she grabbed one of the kitchen chairs so she could keep an eye on it. 

Suddenly the ground was shaking and she heard a crash from upstairs. Ichigo was on her feet and knocking on Yuzu’s door before she could blink. She had seen things that had fallen off shelves and hooks on the walls.

“Yuzu! Hey are you alright!”

“I fell and banged my head on my desk, I think I’m bleeding!”

“Okay, I’m going to grab the small med kit from the bathroom , I’ll be right back” Ichigo rushed to grab the small container of gauze and bandages from the bathroom. She opened the door to Yuzu’s room, she saw Yuzu sitting on the floor with blood coming from her head.

“Okay, I’m going to give you some gauze to absorb the blood. In the meantime I’m going to make sure you didn’t give yourself a concussion or anything.”

“I think I’ll be fine Onee-chan, I just knocked my head a little bit.”

“Yuzu, head wounds can be sirius, you went to the same medical school I did, you should know this... ”

“I know, but worrying won't help anything. We can go down stairs and you can finish dinner. I’ll even stay by you so you can monitor me to see if anything happens. Which you are fully capable of dealing with.”

Ichigo gave her a hard stare, “Fine, but you are staying within my line of sight until you stop bleeding.”

“Yes, now go finish dinner. I was joking about you burning it and I don’t want it to become a reality.”

They walked down the hallway, but stopped when they saw there was smoke. Ichigo pulled Yuzu, who despite the years was still shorter, to her side as they approached the steps.

“Shit, the stairs on fire. I should have turned off the stove, the entire downstairs must be burning. How did I not notice?”

“It’s not your fault something must have fallen when the earthquake happened and you came almost immediately after I screamed. Now let's get to a window, we can call for help from there.” Yuzu tugged her sister's hand, trying not to let her nerves get the best of her. It wouldn’t do any good to panic now.

The sisters started to move to a window, when the floor fell in beneath them. Yuzu hit her head again, and this time she passed out. She was bleeding badly and it was getting hard for Ichigo to breath. Ichigo started yelling for help, no one would be able to get them if they didn’t know they were there. Yuzu was looking worse as time went by, not to mention the fire and smoke only got worse. Ichigo’s vision was getting blurry, she couldn’t keep calling for help without risking passing out. She was shielding Yuzu’s body, Ichigo wasn’t sure she was breathing. 

“I’m so sorry Yuzu. Shit, shit, shit, this is all my fault.” Ichigo was whispering now air was running out and the fire was only just not touching them. If anything shifted they were done for. As if someone heard her, Ichigo heard a defining crack before everything went dark.


End file.
